A look at the Rams' list of free agents as the market opens

A look at the Rams' list of free agents as the market opens

The 2016 version of the annual NFL free agency frenzy is about to get under way today, with all franchises now permitted to contact and enter into negotiations with the certified agents of players who are about to become free agents.

The official league year does not technically begin until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 9th, but for the next two days any team can begin to gauge interest and talk to agents about contract numbers potential new signings are looking for.

Many of the higher profile free agent signings will be contacted by multiple teams between now and Wednesday, but activity will remain relatively high throughout the week.

The Los Angeles Rams are entering this year’s free agency signing period with over $47 million in salary cap space to play with, numbers we broke down in detail today:

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The Rams’ front office have made clear their desire to re-sign Janoris Jenkins and have recently tagged fellow defensive back Trumaine Johnson, but still have a number of players about to hit the open market:

Before 4 p.m. ET Wednesday the Rams must submit qualifying offers to their Restricted Free Agents (RFA) with expiring contracts and to whom they wish to retain a right of first refusal or some sort of compensation should they sign elsewhere.

Any of the players designated above as an RFA, will become a unrestricted free agent (UFA), if they do not receive a qualifying offer before the new league year begins in a few days time.

A player who has already been released before his contract expired such as the Rams did with Chris Long or James Laurinaitis are considered street free agents (SFA) and can sign with any team the second they are released.

Mark Baron is a UFA. The asterisk next to his name is to note that although he was a first-round draft pick and could have had a fifth-year option exercised in his contract to keep him with the Rams, the team chose not to do that. Some sites incorrectly have him listed as an option free agent, which by definition is not a term included in the CBA. Just like many of the names on the list above, Baron is free to sign with whoever he chooses.

The Rams have needs at several positions, in part thanks to the players set to leave and also a need to upgrade a team that struggled in certain games last year.

Entering a new market and hoping to make a splash in their new hometown, it would not be a surprise to see the Rams take their $44 million and change in salary cap space and make some serious waves in free agency. Maybe that is just a wishful thought.

As always we will have all the news of any signings or re-signings here on Rams Wire the moment they happen so keep checking in for new updates.